Oakland Cemetery, located at 8th and Oak Streets, was Oakland’s first cemetery in use from 1852 to 1857. When the cemetery was first begun it was located in the grassy area outside of town. By 1857, Oakland had grown to such an extent that the larger Webster Street Cemetery was established between Webster and Harrison Streets. The original burials in the Oakland Cemetery were disinterred and reburied into the new Webster Street Cemetery.
Apparently the man in charge of the cemetery couldn't read or write, so there are no records of early burials. 1 An article from 1920 says that many children who were victims of a diphtheria epidemic in 1854 were buried there. Although that article describes it as near Oak between 8th and 11th, it probably wasn't that large. 2
Links and References
- Colony of Dead Grows as Fast as Oakland Oakland Tribune May 16, 1952
- Ye Olden Oakland Days Oakland Tribune July 11, 1920
- Downtown Oakland used to have two cemeteries. Where’d they go? Oaklandside October 27, 2023
